Christin's plea:
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2007...ssionately.html (read)
http://the-journey-on.blogspot.com/2007/09...video-blog.html (watch)
translated by Jimmy Moore, Livin' La Vida Low Carb
Please read or watch. Very important info re: The Danger of Kimkins.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wow! This forum is getting to be so big. I am having a hard time keeping up. I am trying to find a group to fit in with but haven't yet. So many people knew each other on the "other" forum. I was only there for about a month so the only people I knew were the ones on the 2 small challenges I started. It's hard for me to meet people in every day life, too. But it is something I am working on daily. :)
There is a post titled "Being Obese & Putting Life on Hold" - what a great topic. It's really had me thinking. So much so that I couldn't begin to put it all down on paper (online or otherwise!)
I put my life on hold years ago . . . . . probably about 32 years roughly. That is when food became my best friend. That is when I first remember using food to numb my feelings. I remember eating entire bags of Doritoes and drinking pepsi after pepsi. At least until I was introduced to alcohol. Then alcohol became my friend. :blink:
We moved so much when I was growing up . . . . 26 school changes in 12 years. Sometimes we went back to schools we had attended previously. I remember being a really positive person. I still am . . . . but for a long time I hid that side of me! I always try to see the good in everyone, everything, every situation. I was always a pretty caring person, too. But once we started moving it got harder. Harder to start over somewhere new, harder to be the new kid, harder to get close to anyone because sooner or later we would be moving again.
Food was my best friend from 13-16; alcohol was my best friend from 16-30. And then food was kind enough to take me back after I'd deserted it years earlier. After drinking for 14+ years life changed. And I didn't know how to handle it without alcohol. Food became my drug of choice . . . specifically fast food, comfort food, etc.
Finally, I decided enough was enough. Of course this took 3-4 years to really come to this realization. I started therapy 3 years ago. Now I am working on living a life that is healthy and free of alcohol AND processed carbs.
It is getting better each day. I still have a long way to go weight wise and living wise. For so many years it was so much easier to be an alcoholic or a fat person because no one expected anything from you. I started therapy so that I could learn why I would lose 20 lbs and then stop over and over again. Finally I am making progress!
I am now in a position in life where I have to quit hiding. We own 2 businesses - one that was existing and then mine which I opened from the ground floor. For almost 3 years my therapist has been trying to talk me into going back to college and finishing my bachelor's and getting my master in counseling. :huh: He says because I left a physically and mentally abusive relationship and successfully overcame drug abuse and alcohol addiction along with my empathy and intelligence I would be a great therapist. :o :huh: He said even more so now that I have started on this journey to weight loss and health. He see so much more in me than I do . . . . but I am working on it. :)
It is something I would really like to do . . . . . . but I have to take it slowly. If not I will be overcome with self doubt . . . . . . and that is what led to the carb and alcohol addictions in the first place! For the last 2 years I have applied for admission to college and for the last 2 years I didn't go. I have applied again to start in January. But I keep thinking of reasons that I shouldn't go. Dumb reasons, yes. Each day that passes I tell myself I can do this. I will do this. I will lose weight and reach my goal. I will go back to college and get my bachelor's degree and possibly even my master's degree. Heck I may even be a therapist in the future. I can do this. I will do this.
There is a post titled "Being Obese & Putting Life on Hold" - what a great topic. It's really had me thinking. So much so that I couldn't begin to put it all down on paper (online or otherwise!)
I put my life on hold years ago . . . . . probably about 32 years roughly. That is when food became my best friend. That is when I first remember using food to numb my feelings. I remember eating entire bags of Doritoes and drinking pepsi after pepsi. At least until I was introduced to alcohol. Then alcohol became my friend. :blink:
We moved so much when I was growing up . . . . 26 school changes in 12 years. Sometimes we went back to schools we had attended previously. I remember being a really positive person. I still am . . . . but for a long time I hid that side of me! I always try to see the good in everyone, everything, every situation. I was always a pretty caring person, too. But once we started moving it got harder. Harder to start over somewhere new, harder to be the new kid, harder to get close to anyone because sooner or later we would be moving again.
Food was my best friend from 13-16; alcohol was my best friend from 16-30. And then food was kind enough to take me back after I'd deserted it years earlier. After drinking for 14+ years life changed. And I didn't know how to handle it without alcohol. Food became my drug of choice . . . specifically fast food, comfort food, etc.
Finally, I decided enough was enough. Of course this took 3-4 years to really come to this realization. I started therapy 3 years ago. Now I am working on living a life that is healthy and free of alcohol AND processed carbs.
It is getting better each day. I still have a long way to go weight wise and living wise. For so many years it was so much easier to be an alcoholic or a fat person because no one expected anything from you. I started therapy so that I could learn why I would lose 20 lbs and then stop over and over again. Finally I am making progress!
I am now in a position in life where I have to quit hiding. We own 2 businesses - one that was existing and then mine which I opened from the ground floor. For almost 3 years my therapist has been trying to talk me into going back to college and finishing my bachelor's and getting my master in counseling. :huh: He says because I left a physically and mentally abusive relationship and successfully overcame drug abuse and alcohol addiction along with my empathy and intelligence I would be a great therapist. :o :huh: He said even more so now that I have started on this journey to weight loss and health. He see so much more in me than I do . . . . but I am working on it. :)
It is something I would really like to do . . . . . . but I have to take it slowly. If not I will be overcome with self doubt . . . . . . and that is what led to the carb and alcohol addictions in the first place! For the last 2 years I have applied for admission to college and for the last 2 years I didn't go. I have applied again to start in January. But I keep thinking of reasons that I shouldn't go. Dumb reasons, yes. Each day that passes I tell myself I can do this. I will do this. I will lose weight and reach my goal. I will go back to college and get my bachelor's degree and possibly even my master's degree. Heck I may even be a therapist in the future. I can do this. I will do this.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Integrity
Integrity . . . . . something that has always been important to me both in myself and others. Even with the "diet" I choose.
When I joined Kimkins initially (back in 01/07) and saw that a real person had lost over 180 lbs and maintained the loss for over 5 years . . . . that was very impressive! And she was sharing her WOE with a lifetime membership of only $39.95!!!! After paying for so much more for e-Diets, WW, LA Weight Loss, just to name a few I again was impressed.
When the controversy started I initially (for a very short time) kept my head in the sand. After all I was losing weight like never before; and for the most part was feeling ok. But I like to read and I like to learn and it wasn't too long before I found Becky's blog and started reading. Talk about INTEGRITY! I felt the same as I read Deni's and Christin's blogs.
As I assimilated the info I had learned reading their blogs I still logged into Kimkins and continued with the 2 small group challenges I had started. At this point I was believing that Kimmer would come forward with her side of things and she would show herself and everyone would see that she was still maintaining the weight loss.
When this didn't happen I started doing more research. And things started coming up that were hard to ignore. And Kimmer still didn't come forward . . . . . and I felt betrayed as did so many others. I may have had a lot of doubts about the way she lost her weight (500 calories, etc) but I believed that she had in fact lost over 180 lbs and I believed that she had maintained that weight loss for over 5 years.
I would read some of the posts on Kimkins: "It doesn't matter to me if Kimmer lost weight as she claimed", "It doesn't matter to me if she gained all of her weight back" It doesn't matter to me that Kimmer lied . . . . . " HUH??? When did honesty and integrity become so unimportant? When did your desire for weight loss become more inportant than your integrity? How can anyone choose to support a person with no integrity, a person that cares so little about others except for how much money she can scam from them? Just by continuing on the Kimkins forum with their heads buried in the sand they are showing their support for a fraud, for a con artist, for a liar, for a diet that can cause serious health problems!!! I am not talking about those who are "information gatherers", those who are trying to get some sense into those who are still there.
I've read comments from people that are staying with Kimkins because "I am doing it my way so it is ok" or "I am staying for the friends I've made", etc. And I see so many people who "cheat" over and over again. Doesn't that tell you anything? Is Kimkins something you can really see yourself doing for the rest of your life? AND if Kimmer couldn't keep the weight off (if she ver lost it to begin with!!!!!) what makes you think that you can? And what about those that have never "dieted" before or have never done low carb before? They do Kimkins as written, or they try their best to and then feel like failures when they can't eat only 500 calories of protein every day?
Integrity
When you respect, treasure and maintain it, it can bring enormous value to whatever you set out to accomplish. It is your integrity, and it is very much worth the effort you spend to keep it intact.
For if you compromise your integrity to get ahead, you'll severely limit how far you can go. If you give up your integrity in exchange for anything else, you will always be on the losing end of the bargain.
The compromise of integrity is its own worst punishment, and is a price that is never worth paying. The worth of integrity cannot be calculated, because it adds value to everything you do.
There will come moments when you'll be tempted to take a shortcut, moments when it will seem foolish to hold on so steadfastly to your integrity. But deep down you know that the day will come when that integrity will be worth far more to you than anything for which you could trade it away.
One day you'll reach a bridge that can only be crossed if your integrity is intact. One day you'll come upon an opportunity that can be yours only if you have arrived at it with integrity.
Live each moment with integrity, with whole and genuine positive purpose. All the while you'll be building something of real, lasting value.
-- Ralph Marston
When I joined Kimkins initially (back in 01/07) and saw that a real person had lost over 180 lbs and maintained the loss for over 5 years . . . . that was very impressive! And she was sharing her WOE with a lifetime membership of only $39.95!!!! After paying for so much more for e-Diets, WW, LA Weight Loss, just to name a few I again was impressed.
When the controversy started I initially (for a very short time) kept my head in the sand. After all I was losing weight like never before; and for the most part was feeling ok. But I like to read and I like to learn and it wasn't too long before I found Becky's blog and started reading. Talk about INTEGRITY! I felt the same as I read Deni's and Christin's blogs.
As I assimilated the info I had learned reading their blogs I still logged into Kimkins and continued with the 2 small group challenges I had started. At this point I was believing that Kimmer would come forward with her side of things and she would show herself and everyone would see that she was still maintaining the weight loss.
When this didn't happen I started doing more research. And things started coming up that were hard to ignore. And Kimmer still didn't come forward . . . . . and I felt betrayed as did so many others. I may have had a lot of doubts about the way she lost her weight (500 calories, etc) but I believed that she had in fact lost over 180 lbs and I believed that she had maintained that weight loss for over 5 years.
I would read some of the posts on Kimkins: "It doesn't matter to me if Kimmer lost weight as she claimed", "It doesn't matter to me if she gained all of her weight back" It doesn't matter to me that Kimmer lied . . . . . " HUH??? When did honesty and integrity become so unimportant? When did your desire for weight loss become more inportant than your integrity? How can anyone choose to support a person with no integrity, a person that cares so little about others except for how much money she can scam from them? Just by continuing on the Kimkins forum with their heads buried in the sand they are showing their support for a fraud, for a con artist, for a liar, for a diet that can cause serious health problems!!! I am not talking about those who are "information gatherers", those who are trying to get some sense into those who are still there.
I've read comments from people that are staying with Kimkins because "I am doing it my way so it is ok" or "I am staying for the friends I've made", etc. And I see so many people who "cheat" over and over again. Doesn't that tell you anything? Is Kimkins something you can really see yourself doing for the rest of your life? AND if Kimmer couldn't keep the weight off (if she ver lost it to begin with!!!!!) what makes you think that you can? And what about those that have never "dieted" before or have never done low carb before? They do Kimkins as written, or they try their best to and then feel like failures when they can't eat only 500 calories of protein every day?
Integrity
When you respect, treasure and maintain it, it can bring enormous value to whatever you set out to accomplish. It is your integrity, and it is very much worth the effort you spend to keep it intact.
For if you compromise your integrity to get ahead, you'll severely limit how far you can go. If you give up your integrity in exchange for anything else, you will always be on the losing end of the bargain.
The compromise of integrity is its own worst punishment, and is a price that is never worth paying. The worth of integrity cannot be calculated, because it adds value to everything you do.
There will come moments when you'll be tempted to take a shortcut, moments when it will seem foolish to hold on so steadfastly to your integrity. But deep down you know that the day will come when that integrity will be worth far more to you than anything for which you could trade it away.
One day you'll reach a bridge that can only be crossed if your integrity is intact. One day you'll come upon an opportunity that can be yours only if you have arrived at it with integrity.
Live each moment with integrity, with whole and genuine positive purpose. All the while you'll be building something of real, lasting value.
-- Ralph Marston
Monday, September 17, 2007
Reprinted Info re: Kimkins
The 3 posts below this one were copied from other sites. I hope that I added all of the pertinent credits as to where I obtained the info as I want the credit given to those due.
My purpose in reposting them was that I want to make sure the info is available in as many places as possible so that the word gets out. If anyone has an issue with me doing this please let me know.
My purpose in reposting them was that I want to make sure the info is available in as many places as possible so that the word gets out. If anyone has an issue with me doing this please let me know.
Kimkins Dangers Reachs Out…
On Saturday, Kimkins Dangers reached out in a post to current staff, admins and members. It is an open letter worth repeating!
Dear Kimkins Staff, Forum Admins, Affiliates and Members,
Much has happened to Kimkins over the course of the last month, none of it good. Many loved and well respected members have fled the scene, Becky, Christin and Deni among them. All of them had their reasons and many of their reasons were the same. Please click on each name to read their own accounts of their time at Kimkins. Really. Read them. These are the stories of three women who had cheered for Kimmer and Kimkins for a long time. They had promoted the diet to their friends and others. They worked very closely with Kimmer to forge the foundations of the plan that you are now following and promoting to others. You need to understand why they left. They are not “haters”. They are not “jealous”. They are not Kimmer’s ex-business partner (and neither are we, fyi.). They truly believed in Kimkins and in Kimmer and you owe it to yourself to find out why they changed their minds.
In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a mass exodus of Kimkins members recently. Some of them voluntary, but many were banned for airing their opinions or asking questions that were uncomfortable for Kimmer. They are also not haters, nor are they jealous. They were paid, lifetime members that had concerns that Kimmer would not answer. They wanted to know, from Kimmer’s own words, if the bloggers and forum posts about Kimkins were true. They wanted to know if those pictures posted on slamboard really are of Kimmer now. They just wanted to know. Instead of answers, they were banned from accessing the site that they paid for. Why is that?
One of the new admins is now posting stories that this entire mess was begun by Catherine, Kimmer’s ex-business partner. We assure you that is not the case. We do not know Catherine, have never exchanged a single email with her or have had any contact with her at all. We know of her story, but that is it. We here at Kimkins Dangers are not jealous and we are not haters.
We are very worried about everyone that is on the Kimkins diet plans. We are worried about your health first and foremost, for even though you may not believe that the diet can be dangerous, there is ample information that says otherwise. Information that comes not from personal experience, though that is also available, but from medical studies, peer reviewed case histories and the like. Real, factual, honest evidence, not supposition and opinion.
We are also concerned for those Kimkins members, staff, admins and affiliates for the possible legal liability that they may soon face. The lawyer that is spearheading the class action lawsuit has now confirmed his involvement and has been sent reams of information and evidence pertaining to the Kimkins website, it’s owner and it’s staff.
We know that the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsman is actively investigating the situation, specifically as it pertains to Heidi’s claims of foster children in her care and the subsequent fundraiser that ensued. The same member that began that fundraiser is now asking other members to partake in yet another fundraiser, though this time for diabetes, allegedly.
Other agencies, local, state and federal are likely to become involved in the near future. This again is not simply opinion, we state this as fact. We will not say anything more on this at this particular time to protect the parties involved and the work that is being done. But be assured, the work IS being done.
If you have been contemplating leaving the sinking ship that is Kimkins, now would be the time. We have read all of the excuses, the ones that say that it does not matter if Kimmer weighs 300 pounds or more, the ones that say it doesn’t matter if she’s lied about this, that or any other thing, the ones that insist the diet is safe and healthy, even the ones that say they aren’t doing the diet, but want to remain for the friendship and camaraderie of the forums. Whatever the reason, understand that the window of opportunity is closing and the time to leave is now.
It matters greatly that Kimmer weighs 300 pounds or more. She sold her plan based on her own claims of having lost 198 pounds in 11 months. This was not true. False claims have crippled companies much larger than Kimkins and they will bring Kimkins to it’s knees as well.
It matters greatly that Kimmer has lied about this, that and the other thing. The list of her lies is very long and growing every day. Integrity is something you should place a very high value on, not eschew in favor of a “quick fix” to your weight issue.
For those who are simply staying for the friendship and the forums, there are many other places you can go where you will be welcomed and supported, yes, even LCF. Active-LowCarber forums, Jimmy Moore’s forums, Amy/Curlygirl’s website, etc., etc. Please consider joining one of these communities as you will find many other ex-kimkins members there as well.
When Kimmer states that there is nothing more dangerous than being overweight, understand that this is not true. Read the stories of those who have suffered health problems as a result of following Kimmer’s diet plans here. Read the medical evidence that shows clearly why diets such as Kimkins are truly dangerous, not only in the short term, but also in the long term. You may not have any symptoms right now, but continue along that dangerous path, and you will very likely end up far worse off than you are now. Please do your research. Your health is not worth wasting simply to lose weight faster.
Many people say “but the diet works for me!” Well, of course it does, for awhile. Anyone that doesn’t eat more than 500-800 calories a day will lose weight, for awhile. They will see the scale dropping quickly, for awhile. They will slowly begin to see other problems cropping up. Hair loss, amenorrhea, dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations and other symptoms of malnutrition and dangerously rapid weight loss. Crack cocaine makes people lose weight quickly too, but you wouldn’t use that, would you?
Please, consider the information that is presented all over the web. Read the blogs. Read the forums. Do the research and discovered for yourself the truth that you so desperately need to know. Open your eyes and you will see.
Please do it now before it’s too late.
Dear Kimkins Staff, Forum Admins, Affiliates and Members,
Much has happened to Kimkins over the course of the last month, none of it good. Many loved and well respected members have fled the scene, Becky, Christin and Deni among them. All of them had their reasons and many of their reasons were the same. Please click on each name to read their own accounts of their time at Kimkins. Really. Read them. These are the stories of three women who had cheered for Kimmer and Kimkins for a long time. They had promoted the diet to their friends and others. They worked very closely with Kimmer to forge the foundations of the plan that you are now following and promoting to others. You need to understand why they left. They are not “haters”. They are not “jealous”. They are not Kimmer’s ex-business partner (and neither are we, fyi.). They truly believed in Kimkins and in Kimmer and you owe it to yourself to find out why they changed their minds.
In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a mass exodus of Kimkins members recently. Some of them voluntary, but many were banned for airing their opinions or asking questions that were uncomfortable for Kimmer. They are also not haters, nor are they jealous. They were paid, lifetime members that had concerns that Kimmer would not answer. They wanted to know, from Kimmer’s own words, if the bloggers and forum posts about Kimkins were true. They wanted to know if those pictures posted on slamboard really are of Kimmer now. They just wanted to know. Instead of answers, they were banned from accessing the site that they paid for. Why is that?
One of the new admins is now posting stories that this entire mess was begun by Catherine, Kimmer’s ex-business partner. We assure you that is not the case. We do not know Catherine, have never exchanged a single email with her or have had any contact with her at all. We know of her story, but that is it. We here at Kimkins Dangers are not jealous and we are not haters.
We are very worried about everyone that is on the Kimkins diet plans. We are worried about your health first and foremost, for even though you may not believe that the diet can be dangerous, there is ample information that says otherwise. Information that comes not from personal experience, though that is also available, but from medical studies, peer reviewed case histories and the like. Real, factual, honest evidence, not supposition and opinion.
We are also concerned for those Kimkins members, staff, admins and affiliates for the possible legal liability that they may soon face. The lawyer that is spearheading the class action lawsuit has now confirmed his involvement and has been sent reams of information and evidence pertaining to the Kimkins website, it’s owner and it’s staff.
We know that the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsman is actively investigating the situation, specifically as it pertains to Heidi’s claims of foster children in her care and the subsequent fundraiser that ensued. The same member that began that fundraiser is now asking other members to partake in yet another fundraiser, though this time for diabetes, allegedly.
Other agencies, local, state and federal are likely to become involved in the near future. This again is not simply opinion, we state this as fact. We will not say anything more on this at this particular time to protect the parties involved and the work that is being done. But be assured, the work IS being done.
If you have been contemplating leaving the sinking ship that is Kimkins, now would be the time. We have read all of the excuses, the ones that say that it does not matter if Kimmer weighs 300 pounds or more, the ones that say it doesn’t matter if she’s lied about this, that or any other thing, the ones that insist the diet is safe and healthy, even the ones that say they aren’t doing the diet, but want to remain for the friendship and camaraderie of the forums. Whatever the reason, understand that the window of opportunity is closing and the time to leave is now.
It matters greatly that Kimmer weighs 300 pounds or more. She sold her plan based on her own claims of having lost 198 pounds in 11 months. This was not true. False claims have crippled companies much larger than Kimkins and they will bring Kimkins to it’s knees as well.
It matters greatly that Kimmer has lied about this, that and the other thing. The list of her lies is very long and growing every day. Integrity is something you should place a very high value on, not eschew in favor of a “quick fix” to your weight issue.
For those who are simply staying for the friendship and the forums, there are many other places you can go where you will be welcomed and supported, yes, even LCF. Active-LowCarber forums, Jimmy Moore’s forums, Amy/Curlygirl’s website, etc., etc. Please consider joining one of these communities as you will find many other ex-kimkins members there as well.
When Kimmer states that there is nothing more dangerous than being overweight, understand that this is not true. Read the stories of those who have suffered health problems as a result of following Kimmer’s diet plans here. Read the medical evidence that shows clearly why diets such as Kimkins are truly dangerous, not only in the short term, but also in the long term. You may not have any symptoms right now, but continue along that dangerous path, and you will very likely end up far worse off than you are now. Please do your research. Your health is not worth wasting simply to lose weight faster.
Many people say “but the diet works for me!” Well, of course it does, for awhile. Anyone that doesn’t eat more than 500-800 calories a day will lose weight, for awhile. They will see the scale dropping quickly, for awhile. They will slowly begin to see other problems cropping up. Hair loss, amenorrhea, dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations and other symptoms of malnutrition and dangerously rapid weight loss. Crack cocaine makes people lose weight quickly too, but you wouldn’t use that, would you?
Please, consider the information that is presented all over the web. Read the blogs. Read the forums. Do the research and discovered for yourself the truth that you so desperately need to know. Open your eyes and you will see.
Please do it now before it’s too late.
Kimkins Suggests Member is Mentally Ill
About.com Warns Again After Being on the Inside of Kimkins
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/populardietplans/a/kimkinsdiet.htm
Also from KimkinsExposed:
Kimmer Suggests Member is Mentally Ill
Monday, September 17th
In a very strange reply today, Kimmer (Heidi Diaz) suggested a member who feels saddened by all that’s happening is mentally ill! The distraught member posted this message to Kimmer, edited for readability only, all text remains exactly as written, just reformatted to read better,
Kimmer,are you going to ban me for telling you just how very depressed i am that all my forum friends are gone, and though i have been a member here since march, i now know no one…. do you know what it is like to be abandoned? do you know how it causes so much stress and desperation? are they going to come back????? i think not- you chose not to be upfront about their questions, you chose to hide yourself—-why dont you just go on tv and put all these rumours to rest??? so they will perhaps come back….so i wont wish i was dead…..
This site was so much with Christin, Becky, Amy, - no one even goes on my forums anymore-go and check- i had established some nice relationships with these people-now they are gone-and you are unapproachable, because we all fear you will ban us if we arent completely compliant…..
Show yourself Kimmer,,,,put this all to rest so we can all get on with the matter at hand, and reestablish friendships…. If you ban me, let it be a warning to all of us that are left, exactly what they are up against……..
Kimmer’s reply,
I agree that your posts sound as thought you might need to talk with someone. A professional. If you work, they will have a mental health referral or EAP. If you don’t have insurance your county health department has resources with a sliding fee schedule.Now i don’t mean to sound harsh either, but I’m not good at this. I’m not a warm & fuzzy person. I never know what to say. But just as I’m not a doctor, I’m not a therapist. There’s a million reasons for overeating and depression is a big one. Once you get help for that, it will make everything in your life a bit easier.
Not only does Kimmer completely fail to acknowledge the critical points of controversy here, she replies in a way that can only be considered heartless and cold.
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/populardietplans/a/kimkinsdiet.htm
Also from KimkinsExposed:
Kimmer Suggests Member is Mentally Ill
Monday, September 17th
In a very strange reply today, Kimmer (Heidi Diaz) suggested a member who feels saddened by all that’s happening is mentally ill! The distraught member posted this message to Kimmer, edited for readability only, all text remains exactly as written, just reformatted to read better,
Kimmer,are you going to ban me for telling you just how very depressed i am that all my forum friends are gone, and though i have been a member here since march, i now know no one…. do you know what it is like to be abandoned? do you know how it causes so much stress and desperation? are they going to come back????? i think not- you chose not to be upfront about their questions, you chose to hide yourself—-why dont you just go on tv and put all these rumours to rest??? so they will perhaps come back….so i wont wish i was dead…..
This site was so much with Christin, Becky, Amy, - no one even goes on my forums anymore-go and check- i had established some nice relationships with these people-now they are gone-and you are unapproachable, because we all fear you will ban us if we arent completely compliant…..
Show yourself Kimmer,,,,put this all to rest so we can all get on with the matter at hand, and reestablish friendships…. If you ban me, let it be a warning to all of us that are left, exactly what they are up against……..
Kimmer’s reply,
I agree that your posts sound as thought you might need to talk with someone. A professional. If you work, they will have a mental health referral or EAP. If you don’t have insurance your county health department has resources with a sliding fee schedule.Now i don’t mean to sound harsh either, but I’m not good at this. I’m not a warm & fuzzy person. I never know what to say. But just as I’m not a doctor, I’m not a therapist. There’s a million reasons for overeating and depression is a big one. Once you get help for that, it will make everything in your life a bit easier.
Not only does Kimmer completely fail to acknowledge the critical points of controversy here, she replies in a way that can only be considered heartless and cold.
Who is the Woman in the Red Dress?
this was posted elsewhere, by anani...
Who is the Woman in the Red Dress?
I’m haunted tonight. I can’t sleep because my head is full of images. Images of people just signing onto Kimkins.com. I can see them vividly and I can feel their feelings and hear their thoughts as they introduce themselves. As they type out their first greetings, nervous with anticipation and filled with renewed hope. Another beautiful soul, who has dared to dream again, hopping onto the magic carpet that will only disintegrate into dust.
Who are these people? Heidi Diaz aka Kimmer doesn’t care. They’re faceless to her…just another $60 in her pocket.
Let me introduce you to some of these people. They are real. They are just like you and me.
There’s the woman who has battled with her weight all of her life. Her husband has left her for a younger and thinner woman, annihilating her feelings of self worth. She sees the beautiful woman in the red dress and gets excited for the first time in a long time. “Oh my God,” she thinks, I can do that too. If she can lose 200 pounds in less than a year, so can I. She immediately begins doing the math and based on what Kimmer tells her is possible, she realizes she can be thin in a few months and maybe she can shed the overwhelming shame she feels and won’t have to live in terror of running into the ex or the other woman. She begins to fantasize about running into him in a “sexy - in your face outfit” She also dares now to hope that maybe she even has a chance of finding a special new someone.
There’s the young girl who is so tired of crying inside all of the time. She looks at her thin friends with their cute clothes. She dreams of wearing those clothes and having the boys look at her. She’s tired of wanting to hide all of the time. She’s tired of feeling like she doesn’t fit in. Even in her own family. She’s tired of the disappointed look her mom tries to hide. She’s tired of her brothers making fun of her. She sees the woman in the red dress and for the first time she has hope. She begins to fantasize about fitting in. Having a boyfriend. Tubing on the river with her friends and wearing a bikini. Laughing and going to parties. Being normal. If she does what Kimmer says, she’ll have her dream in just 3 months, 4 tops.
Then there’s the Mom. She tired of her whole life being defined by her size and her weight loss attempts. Her mom put her on her first diet when she was 8. By the time she was 15 she was a compulsive dieter and over the years and after 3 pregnancies she has dieted herself up to 300 pounds. She can only sit and watch while her kids play at the park. She sadly watches another mom swinging with her kids. She yearns to run and play and swing with her own children. She is forever haunted by the humiliation of having the chair break under her while sitting in the gym at their Christmas concert. She has to squeeze into seats at the movie theatre and is terrified of going into restaurants and not fitting into the booth. She is so afraid that she embarrasses her husband in public and she can’t undress in front of him any more. She worries when her kids bring friends over that they will be embarrassed. She wants so badly for her kids and husband to be proud of her. She’s tired of feeling like a failure because she has tried every thing. She’s just about lost all hope. She sees the Woman in Red.
There’s the woman who is tired of seeing jobs given to people far less qualified than her. She knows it’s because of her weight. She is tired of people never looking her straight I the eye when she is at the bank or in stores. She is sick of elastic waisted pants and long ugly shirts to hide her tummy. She is tired of having to settle for clothes just because they fit. Even though they are ugly and completely not her style. She has to go to a wedding soon and is dreading it because she can’t find anything to wear. It seems she has spent her whole life feeling like she is on the outside looking in. Just once she wants to know what it’s like to feel pretty. What it’s like just to feel normal. She’s tired of hating what she sees every time she looks in the mirror. She sees the Woman in Red.
These women and millions of women like them, all have one thing in common. No, they don’t want to be the next super model. They want nothing more than the chance to be and feel…normal. To take for granted what it’s like to move freely, to go into a “normal” store and not only be able to buy normal clothes, but to actually have a choice of style and colour. To walk down the street or into a room and not feel eyes on them, judging them, to have people thinking …”why doesn’t she just go on a diet. To know that every time someone looks at them, all they see is their fat, not the beautiful, intelligent, creative unique individuals that they really are.
Heidi Diaz knows and understands the feelings of the women I have described. She has likely lived and experienced every one of them. She knows the desperation. Yet these are the feelings, and that very desperation that she has chosen to exploit in others like herself. She has zeroed in on that desperation that she understands so well and used it as a way to load her bank account.
She created a diet with no basis in fact or scientific studies. She sells a diet plan based on her claims that there is “no such thing as starvation mode”. That “if you have excess fat on your body you don’t actually need to eat”. That “there is nothing more dangerous than being overweight”. That “you don’t need to eat dietary fat”. That “you don’t need to exercise”. That “you only need to take a multi vitamin to get your nutrients”. She has been asked to back up her claims with any sort of evidence or documentation, but she refuses. Why? Because she can’t. They are theories and ridiculous notions that she cleverly fabricated in her own twisted and greedy mind. She created this twisted and sick fairy tale while being morbidly obese herself. She can’t back up one iota of her plan, even with her own experience. Any attempts at weight loss she has undergone in her life have been miserable failures. She is the walking and talking, living example of poor life choices and ill health. But somehow she managed to lure nearly 40, 000 people into this deadly illusion with brilliant marketing, a beautiful website, slick and clever words and borrowing on the “credibility” of a nationally published magazine. All while hiding behind a fantasy picture of a thin beautiful woman in a sexy red dress, and promoting this…as herself. She created a completely false persona, a cleverly created story about her personal life and newfound happiness and health, attached it to a picture of woman we have all fantasized looking like. And I must state again all while living in an obese, unhealthy body. And she is charging and getting $60 for this.
Heidi Diaz knows these women. She knows of their desperation and lost dreams, their desire to be normal. She knows their unbearable pain because she is one of these women. But she doesn’t reach out to them in understanding and compassion. She ruthlessly targets them and uses them. They are easy prey for her, because she knows their torment so well.
People have been exploiting the desperation of the obese for years, but for a woman who lives and breathes that desperation and lost hope, to have done this, is about as morally bankrupt as a person can go. She cares nothing about the ever-increasing stories coming to light about people suffering ill health from following her advice. When confronted with these concerns by others, she states “It’s not my fault if they’re too stupid to go to their doctor.” She called those of us who dared to question her, “Recalcitrant Morons.”
There are still many followers hanging onto the dream. Many state that they are feeling great, having suffered no ill effects...(yet) They have lost weight. The diet works. They focus only on the stories of others that are still doing well, while ignoring the multitude of stories emerging of those who have not.
Well, there are many who have survived playing Russian Roulette. What if I were to say, “Well look at them, they’re all right, maybe I should try it too.” So I say to the myth that is Kimmer…”At least take down that silly, cute harmless sounding name Kimkins and call it what it really is”. “The Russia Roulette Diet”
In closing, I have this to say to all of you. Love yourself enough to do the research. To do what’s right for you and for those who love and need you. Your children, your husband, your sisters and brothers, parents and all who love you are counting on you to make the right choices. Please don’t sell their need for you and your long-term health and well being, for an illusion.
The illusion of The Woman in the Red Dress.
Who is the Woman in the Red Dress?
I’m haunted tonight. I can’t sleep because my head is full of images. Images of people just signing onto Kimkins.com. I can see them vividly and I can feel their feelings and hear their thoughts as they introduce themselves. As they type out their first greetings, nervous with anticipation and filled with renewed hope. Another beautiful soul, who has dared to dream again, hopping onto the magic carpet that will only disintegrate into dust.
Who are these people? Heidi Diaz aka Kimmer doesn’t care. They’re faceless to her…just another $60 in her pocket.
Let me introduce you to some of these people. They are real. They are just like you and me.
There’s the woman who has battled with her weight all of her life. Her husband has left her for a younger and thinner woman, annihilating her feelings of self worth. She sees the beautiful woman in the red dress and gets excited for the first time in a long time. “Oh my God,” she thinks, I can do that too. If she can lose 200 pounds in less than a year, so can I. She immediately begins doing the math and based on what Kimmer tells her is possible, she realizes she can be thin in a few months and maybe she can shed the overwhelming shame she feels and won’t have to live in terror of running into the ex or the other woman. She begins to fantasize about running into him in a “sexy - in your face outfit” She also dares now to hope that maybe she even has a chance of finding a special new someone.
There’s the young girl who is so tired of crying inside all of the time. She looks at her thin friends with their cute clothes. She dreams of wearing those clothes and having the boys look at her. She’s tired of wanting to hide all of the time. She’s tired of feeling like she doesn’t fit in. Even in her own family. She’s tired of the disappointed look her mom tries to hide. She’s tired of her brothers making fun of her. She sees the woman in the red dress and for the first time she has hope. She begins to fantasize about fitting in. Having a boyfriend. Tubing on the river with her friends and wearing a bikini. Laughing and going to parties. Being normal. If she does what Kimmer says, she’ll have her dream in just 3 months, 4 tops.
Then there’s the Mom. She tired of her whole life being defined by her size and her weight loss attempts. Her mom put her on her first diet when she was 8. By the time she was 15 she was a compulsive dieter and over the years and after 3 pregnancies she has dieted herself up to 300 pounds. She can only sit and watch while her kids play at the park. She sadly watches another mom swinging with her kids. She yearns to run and play and swing with her own children. She is forever haunted by the humiliation of having the chair break under her while sitting in the gym at their Christmas concert. She has to squeeze into seats at the movie theatre and is terrified of going into restaurants and not fitting into the booth. She is so afraid that she embarrasses her husband in public and she can’t undress in front of him any more. She worries when her kids bring friends over that they will be embarrassed. She wants so badly for her kids and husband to be proud of her. She’s tired of feeling like a failure because she has tried every thing. She’s just about lost all hope. She sees the Woman in Red.
There’s the woman who is tired of seeing jobs given to people far less qualified than her. She knows it’s because of her weight. She is tired of people never looking her straight I the eye when she is at the bank or in stores. She is sick of elastic waisted pants and long ugly shirts to hide her tummy. She is tired of having to settle for clothes just because they fit. Even though they are ugly and completely not her style. She has to go to a wedding soon and is dreading it because she can’t find anything to wear. It seems she has spent her whole life feeling like she is on the outside looking in. Just once she wants to know what it’s like to feel pretty. What it’s like just to feel normal. She’s tired of hating what she sees every time she looks in the mirror. She sees the Woman in Red.
These women and millions of women like them, all have one thing in common. No, they don’t want to be the next super model. They want nothing more than the chance to be and feel…normal. To take for granted what it’s like to move freely, to go into a “normal” store and not only be able to buy normal clothes, but to actually have a choice of style and colour. To walk down the street or into a room and not feel eyes on them, judging them, to have people thinking …”why doesn’t she just go on a diet. To know that every time someone looks at them, all they see is their fat, not the beautiful, intelligent, creative unique individuals that they really are.
Heidi Diaz knows and understands the feelings of the women I have described. She has likely lived and experienced every one of them. She knows the desperation. Yet these are the feelings, and that very desperation that she has chosen to exploit in others like herself. She has zeroed in on that desperation that she understands so well and used it as a way to load her bank account.
She created a diet with no basis in fact or scientific studies. She sells a diet plan based on her claims that there is “no such thing as starvation mode”. That “if you have excess fat on your body you don’t actually need to eat”. That “there is nothing more dangerous than being overweight”. That “you don’t need to eat dietary fat”. That “you don’t need to exercise”. That “you only need to take a multi vitamin to get your nutrients”. She has been asked to back up her claims with any sort of evidence or documentation, but she refuses. Why? Because she can’t. They are theories and ridiculous notions that she cleverly fabricated in her own twisted and greedy mind. She created this twisted and sick fairy tale while being morbidly obese herself. She can’t back up one iota of her plan, even with her own experience. Any attempts at weight loss she has undergone in her life have been miserable failures. She is the walking and talking, living example of poor life choices and ill health. But somehow she managed to lure nearly 40, 000 people into this deadly illusion with brilliant marketing, a beautiful website, slick and clever words and borrowing on the “credibility” of a nationally published magazine. All while hiding behind a fantasy picture of a thin beautiful woman in a sexy red dress, and promoting this…as herself. She created a completely false persona, a cleverly created story about her personal life and newfound happiness and health, attached it to a picture of woman we have all fantasized looking like. And I must state again all while living in an obese, unhealthy body. And she is charging and getting $60 for this.
Heidi Diaz knows these women. She knows of their desperation and lost dreams, their desire to be normal. She knows their unbearable pain because she is one of these women. But she doesn’t reach out to them in understanding and compassion. She ruthlessly targets them and uses them. They are easy prey for her, because she knows their torment so well.
People have been exploiting the desperation of the obese for years, but for a woman who lives and breathes that desperation and lost hope, to have done this, is about as morally bankrupt as a person can go. She cares nothing about the ever-increasing stories coming to light about people suffering ill health from following her advice. When confronted with these concerns by others, she states “It’s not my fault if they’re too stupid to go to their doctor.” She called those of us who dared to question her, “Recalcitrant Morons.”
There are still many followers hanging onto the dream. Many state that they are feeling great, having suffered no ill effects...(yet) They have lost weight. The diet works. They focus only on the stories of others that are still doing well, while ignoring the multitude of stories emerging of those who have not.
Well, there are many who have survived playing Russian Roulette. What if I were to say, “Well look at them, they’re all right, maybe I should try it too.” So I say to the myth that is Kimmer…”At least take down that silly, cute harmless sounding name Kimkins and call it what it really is”. “The Russia Roulette Diet”
In closing, I have this to say to all of you. Love yourself enough to do the research. To do what’s right for you and for those who love and need you. Your children, your husband, your sisters and brothers, parents and all who love you are counting on you to make the right choices. Please don’t sell their need for you and your long-term health and well being, for an illusion.
The illusion of The Woman in the Red Dress.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
On to Atkins
I am re-reading Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution. I realized that when I did Atkins 3 years ago that I never read the entire book. If I had I probably wouldn't have quit eating low carb.
I am still losing weight. At a slower rate but it feels so much better! The 6 weeks I did Kimkins I had this little devil sitting on my shoulder telling me it was not healthy. Yes, quick weight loss drew me in . . . . but not at the expense of my hair and my health.
I have accomplished my first mini-goal which was to get below 214 (my previous lowest weight from doing Atkins 3 years ago.) I am .02 lbs away from accomplishing my 2nd mini-goal which is to lose more than 34 lbs (what I lost 3 years ago!)
My other mini-goals are:
199-Onderland
180-so that I weigh less than DH
170-what I weighed when I got married 13 years ago
150-current goal weight altho this may be adjusted down to 130-140 as I get closer.
The difference now with eating low carb and losing weight is: This time it is not a diet, it is a WOE for the rest of my life. And I do not talk about "if" I lose weight . . . . . it is now WHEN I lose weight because I am fully committed to losing weight and being healthy.
I had breakfast with my mom yesterday (I had 3 scrambled eggs with broccoli, bacon, and cream cheese-it was the best!) She needs to lose weight as well. She was asking me some questions so I offered to let her read one of the 3 DANDR books that I have.
I am still losing weight. At a slower rate but it feels so much better! The 6 weeks I did Kimkins I had this little devil sitting on my shoulder telling me it was not healthy. Yes, quick weight loss drew me in . . . . but not at the expense of my hair and my health.
I have accomplished my first mini-goal which was to get below 214 (my previous lowest weight from doing Atkins 3 years ago.) I am .02 lbs away from accomplishing my 2nd mini-goal which is to lose more than 34 lbs (what I lost 3 years ago!)
My other mini-goals are:
199-Onderland
180-so that I weigh less than DH
170-what I weighed when I got married 13 years ago
150-current goal weight altho this may be adjusted down to 130-140 as I get closer.
The difference now with eating low carb and losing weight is: This time it is not a diet, it is a WOE for the rest of my life. And I do not talk about "if" I lose weight . . . . . it is now WHEN I lose weight because I am fully committed to losing weight and being healthy.
I had breakfast with my mom yesterday (I had 3 scrambled eggs with broccoli, bacon, and cream cheese-it was the best!) She needs to lose weight as well. She was asking me some questions so I offered to let her read one of the 3 DANDR books that I have.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Banned
What I didn't mention is that I was banned last night for violating TOS (Terms of Service). All for posting about 20 messages with links to Becky's, Deni's, and Christin's blogs. I paid for a lifetime membership. I do not believe I violated any TOS. I didn't even post anything negative about Kimmer or Kimkins.
Not that being banned is a problem for me . . . . I had only one reason for visiting site at that time. But it is the principle of it.
Not that being banned is a problem for me . . . . I had only one reason for visiting site at that time. But it is the principle of it.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Kimkins Experience Part II
Altho I still have misgivings I joined Kimkins on 7/30. But I really didn't do Kimkins or if I did I did Kimkins my way . . . . I was doing what I thought was Kimkins but it was more Atkins but counting calories.
In the past, the most I had ever lost was 34 lbs 3 years ago when I did Atkins and it came off over 5 months. I regained all but 3 lbs over the last 3 years.
The weight started "melting" off with Kimkins/Atkins. I started a couple of small group challenges. I set up a Fitday account to track my calories, fat, carbs, and protein. I changed to The Daily Plate because it was more user friendly (for me at least.) I started reading posts where laxatives were recommended and lower calories were suggested as a way to get past a stall or to continue losing more weight. I read posts about hair loss, constipation, and cheat free days. I set up a cheat free ticker from the beginning to track my cheat free days. I did not cheat once during my short stay at Kimkins. Until I found out the cheating meant eating anything that was not on the Kimkins WOE . . . . it wasn't to track the days you were cheat free from processed carbs, sugar, etc.
I quickly lost my appetite and thought to myself, "This has never happened before that I go for hours and don't think about eating." But as time went by I really started feeling tired alot, no energy, not hungry, couldn't sleep, etc.
And then I found out that Becky had left, then Christin and Deni. The 3 most recognized people on the site . . . . . almost more so than Kimmer. They definitely posted more and supported more than Kimmer. Then I found a link to their blogs and started reading. And questioning and reading more. I am not the kind of person who can bury their head in the sand and go on as if nothing has happened. Nor am I a person who rushes to judgement. But the more I read the more I started feeling betrayed by Kimkins and Kimmer. What I thought was a real person who had lost a lot of weight and maintained that weight loss for several years was all smoke and mirrors.
For more on this:
Deni’s blog: http://www.openbench.blogspot.com/
Christin's blog: http://the-journey-on.blogspot.com/
Becky's blog: http://winningweight.blogspot.com/
One of her most ardent supporters, Jimmy Moore, of http://www.lowcarbdiscussion.com/ and http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/ broke ties with Kimmer/Kimkins.
Low Carb Friends has hundreds of posts attacking Kimkins and Kimmer. So many that I had to quit going there because it was so negative, not only against Kimmer and Kimkins but against everyone who was still on the Kimkins site; even tho many of them were former Kimkinites. Other websites came to light such as:
http://kimkinssurvivors.wordpress.com/ and
http://kimkinsexposed.wordpress.com/
It became clear from the few posts that Kimkins did post that there was something not quite right. She made some odd statements, she wouldn't refute any of the rumors, claims, etc. A legitimate business person, an honest person would have stepped forward to put her members at ease. She continued to refuse and continued to ban members. It quickly because apparent that her sole interest in Kimkins was financial. The WW cover and article probably brought her over $2 million (minimum) in revenue with very little expenses to diminish the amount.
I felt saddened and betrayed . . . . but I am a big girl, I made the decision to do Kimkins by overriding the many doubts that I had. Freedom of choice . . . . one of the great things about being American. As is Freedom of Speech . . . . . . (anywhere except Kimkins.com that is.)
I came to the conclusion that Kimkins did work . . . . . but a what expense? If the person who founded Kimkins couldn't keep from regaining the weight she had lost . . . . . and there didn't seem to be a maintenance plan in place . . . . then how could I or anyone else maintain the loss. It became apparent pretty quickly that maintenance wasn't a real priority to Kimkins. Selling new lifetime memberships was . . . . . . as long as you didn't have an opinion of your own that you freely expressed on the Kimkins forums. Selling new "Lifetime" memberships was more profitable . . . . after all current members had already paid for lifetime memberships . . . . in order to keep reaping the cash rewards from Kimkins she had to continually recruit new people.
My experience was much less than so many others. I was only there for 5 weeks. I felt betrayed on one hand and extremely lucky on the other. I couldn't even begin to imagine what Becky, Deni, and Christin felt as well as many others who had been with Kimkins a long time.
In the past, the most I had ever lost was 34 lbs 3 years ago when I did Atkins and it came off over 5 months. I regained all but 3 lbs over the last 3 years.
The weight started "melting" off with Kimkins/Atkins. I started a couple of small group challenges. I set up a Fitday account to track my calories, fat, carbs, and protein. I changed to The Daily Plate because it was more user friendly (for me at least.) I started reading posts where laxatives were recommended and lower calories were suggested as a way to get past a stall or to continue losing more weight. I read posts about hair loss, constipation, and cheat free days. I set up a cheat free ticker from the beginning to track my cheat free days. I did not cheat once during my short stay at Kimkins. Until I found out the cheating meant eating anything that was not on the Kimkins WOE . . . . it wasn't to track the days you were cheat free from processed carbs, sugar, etc.
I quickly lost my appetite and thought to myself, "This has never happened before that I go for hours and don't think about eating." But as time went by I really started feeling tired alot, no energy, not hungry, couldn't sleep, etc.
And then I found out that Becky had left, then Christin and Deni. The 3 most recognized people on the site . . . . . almost more so than Kimmer. They definitely posted more and supported more than Kimmer. Then I found a link to their blogs and started reading. And questioning and reading more. I am not the kind of person who can bury their head in the sand and go on as if nothing has happened. Nor am I a person who rushes to judgement. But the more I read the more I started feeling betrayed by Kimkins and Kimmer. What I thought was a real person who had lost a lot of weight and maintained that weight loss for several years was all smoke and mirrors.
For more on this:
Deni’s blog: http://www.openbench.blogspot.com/
Christin's blog: http://the-journey-on.blogspot.com/
Becky's blog: http://winningweight.blogspot.com/
One of her most ardent supporters, Jimmy Moore, of http://www.lowcarbdiscussion.com/ and http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/ broke ties with Kimmer/Kimkins.
Low Carb Friends has hundreds of posts attacking Kimkins and Kimmer. So many that I had to quit going there because it was so negative, not only against Kimmer and Kimkins but against everyone who was still on the Kimkins site; even tho many of them were former Kimkinites. Other websites came to light such as:
http://kimkinssurvivors.wordpress.com/ and
http://kimkinsexposed.wordpress.com/
It became clear from the few posts that Kimkins did post that there was something not quite right. She made some odd statements, she wouldn't refute any of the rumors, claims, etc. A legitimate business person, an honest person would have stepped forward to put her members at ease. She continued to refuse and continued to ban members. It quickly because apparent that her sole interest in Kimkins was financial. The WW cover and article probably brought her over $2 million (minimum) in revenue with very little expenses to diminish the amount.
I felt saddened and betrayed . . . . but I am a big girl, I made the decision to do Kimkins by overriding the many doubts that I had. Freedom of choice . . . . one of the great things about being American. As is Freedom of Speech . . . . . . (anywhere except Kimkins.com that is.)
I came to the conclusion that Kimkins did work . . . . . but a what expense? If the person who founded Kimkins couldn't keep from regaining the weight she had lost . . . . . and there didn't seem to be a maintenance plan in place . . . . then how could I or anyone else maintain the loss. It became apparent pretty quickly that maintenance wasn't a real priority to Kimkins. Selling new lifetime memberships was . . . . . . as long as you didn't have an opinion of your own that you freely expressed on the Kimkins forums. Selling new "Lifetime" memberships was more profitable . . . . after all current members had already paid for lifetime memberships . . . . in order to keep reaping the cash rewards from Kimkins she had to continually recruit new people.
My experience was much less than so many others. I was only there for 5 weeks. I felt betrayed on one hand and extremely lucky on the other. I couldn't even begin to imagine what Becky, Deni, and Christin felt as well as many others who had been with Kimkins a long time.
Kimkins Experience Part I
Ok, this is my first attempt at blogging altho not my first attempt at rambling on (hence the name of my blog!)
I need to write about my thoughts on Kimkins. What pulled me in was that it was low carb AND Kimmer's weight loss of 180+ lbs and the fact that she claimed 5 years maintenance. A real person with real weight loss maintaining her weight and showing others how to accomplish what she did for the low, low price of $39.95 for a lifetime membership. It seemed too good to be true!
As it turns out - it WAS too good to be true! Am I a "victim" of Kimkins? No, I am a victim of my choices. I do however feel extremely betrayed - with more on that later.
I joined Kimkins in January 07 after I saw it mentioned in People magazine. I've done low carb before and it seemed to the "perfect" low carb WOE - low carbs & low fat. What I didn't do before when I did low carb was get all of the info necessary. I didn't read all of the books - I just read the sections about what you could and couldn't eat.
Soon after logging into Kimkims I experienced great disappointment. This magical plan that was going to melt my weight off in a few months was laxatives and 500 calories a day. Or less because as I clicked on member's fitday journals I saw many who were 300-400 calories a day. I swallowed my disappointment and went about my life. Still knowing I needed to lose weight and knowing that low carb was very good for me but still thinking that Atkins was bad because of all of the fat.
From time to time over the next few months I logged back into Kimkins and read posts, etc. I read the success stories . . . . . wondered about some of the before and after pics, read the testimonials, looked at the fitday journals, and then went on about my life.
The article in WW came out. Of course we all know that every diet that WW advertises works, right. And they research it all so it must be valid, right? I mean, after all, hadn't I bought hundreds of WW magazines because of the diet inside - every time sure that it was going to be "THE ONE" for me?
Since I already had some knowledge of Kimkins I bought the issue about Kimkins. Read the article and was very impressed with Christin's weight loss. 100 lbs in 5 months - that is a miracle. I'd be ecstatic with 10 lbs a month . . . . 20 would put me over the top.
So with Kimkins in the back of my mind . . . I went on with daily life.
We had booked our 2nd cruise for December and while we were on our first cruise last December I vowed that I would lose weight before our 2nd one. Well, here it was getting into July and I weighed only 8 lbs less than I had at the beginning of the year. "Maybe I should give Kimkins a try." I thought to myself. SO back to the website I went. I spent a couple of weeks reading message after message. Finally I found a couple of posts that I could rationalize in my mind. One was that WLS patients were restricted to 500 calories a day. And I thought - if they can do 500 calories a day . . so can I, without the surgery.
At the same time, I read a post from a member who said she was doing Kimkins but she kept her calories from 1000-1200 and she was losing weight. So I sent her a PM and asked her some questions.
After thinking some more I decided I could do Kimkins. Especially as a way to get the carbs out of my system. So on 7/30 I started my Kimkins journey to weight loss (short journey that it was!) More to come.
I need to write about my thoughts on Kimkins. What pulled me in was that it was low carb AND Kimmer's weight loss of 180+ lbs and the fact that she claimed 5 years maintenance. A real person with real weight loss maintaining her weight and showing others how to accomplish what she did for the low, low price of $39.95 for a lifetime membership. It seemed too good to be true!
As it turns out - it WAS too good to be true! Am I a "victim" of Kimkins? No, I am a victim of my choices. I do however feel extremely betrayed - with more on that later.
I joined Kimkins in January 07 after I saw it mentioned in People magazine. I've done low carb before and it seemed to the "perfect" low carb WOE - low carbs & low fat. What I didn't do before when I did low carb was get all of the info necessary. I didn't read all of the books - I just read the sections about what you could and couldn't eat.
Soon after logging into Kimkims I experienced great disappointment. This magical plan that was going to melt my weight off in a few months was laxatives and 500 calories a day. Or less because as I clicked on member's fitday journals I saw many who were 300-400 calories a day. I swallowed my disappointment and went about my life. Still knowing I needed to lose weight and knowing that low carb was very good for me but still thinking that Atkins was bad because of all of the fat.
From time to time over the next few months I logged back into Kimkins and read posts, etc. I read the success stories . . . . . wondered about some of the before and after pics, read the testimonials, looked at the fitday journals, and then went on about my life.
The article in WW came out. Of course we all know that every diet that WW advertises works, right. And they research it all so it must be valid, right? I mean, after all, hadn't I bought hundreds of WW magazines because of the diet inside - every time sure that it was going to be "THE ONE" for me?
Since I already had some knowledge of Kimkins I bought the issue about Kimkins. Read the article and was very impressed with Christin's weight loss. 100 lbs in 5 months - that is a miracle. I'd be ecstatic with 10 lbs a month . . . . 20 would put me over the top.
So with Kimkins in the back of my mind . . . I went on with daily life.
We had booked our 2nd cruise for December and while we were on our first cruise last December I vowed that I would lose weight before our 2nd one. Well, here it was getting into July and I weighed only 8 lbs less than I had at the beginning of the year. "Maybe I should give Kimkins a try." I thought to myself. SO back to the website I went. I spent a couple of weeks reading message after message. Finally I found a couple of posts that I could rationalize in my mind. One was that WLS patients were restricted to 500 calories a day. And I thought - if they can do 500 calories a day . . so can I, without the surgery.
At the same time, I read a post from a member who said she was doing Kimkins but she kept her calories from 1000-1200 and she was losing weight. So I sent her a PM and asked her some questions.
After thinking some more I decided I could do Kimkins. Especially as a way to get the carbs out of my system. So on 7/30 I started my Kimkins journey to weight loss (short journey that it was!) More to come.
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